Audio Download

Pro 16:21-33 “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD”

(Aired on July 31, 2025)

Pro 16:21  The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
Pro 16:22  Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.
Pro 16:23  The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.
Pro 16:24  Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
Pro 16:25  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Pro 16:26  He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.
Pro 16:27  An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.
Pro 16:28  A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
Pro 16:29  A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.
Pro 16:30  He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.
Pro 16:31  The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.
Pro 16:32  He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
Pro 16:33  The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

Last week we briefly discussed how “The lot^H1486 is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD”, which is another way of saying what we read in these two verses, (Eph 1:11, Rom 8:28).

Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being;[“The lot”] as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things [“The lot”] after the counsel of his own will:

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things [“The lot”] work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

The word “lot”^H1486 is the same word found in these few verses: Lev 16:8(2); Lev 16:9; Lev 16:10; Num 26:55; Num 26:56; Num 33:54, and explain with their spiritual message how and what the “the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD” should mean to God’s elect today. We also recently discussed how Peter is the stone that is built upon the rock spoken of in this verse, (Mat 16:18). Peter’s lot in life is that of the elect’s predestined lot to be that stone built upon the “rockG4073”, the petra who is Christ!

H1486 Lot gôrâl    gôrâl  go-rawl’, go-ral’
From an unused root meaning to be rough (as stone); properly a pebble, that is, a lot (small stones being used for that purpose); figuratively a portion or destiny (as if determined by lot): – lot.
Total KJV occurrences: 77

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art PeterG4074, and upon this rockG4073 I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

G4074 Petros pet’-ros
Apparently a primary word; a (piece of) rock (larger than G3037); as a name, Petrus, an apostle: – Peter, rock. Compare G2786.
Total KJV occurrences: 162

G4073 petra  pet’-ra
Feminine of the same as G4074; a (mass of) rock (literally or figuratively): – rock.
Total KJV occurrences: 16

With these definitions in mind let’s look at these few verses that use the word “lot”^H1486 and then we can go through the last part of this chapter of proverbs that concludes with the title verse, “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD” [Lev 16:8(2); Lev 16:9; Lev 16:10; Num 26:55; Num 26:56; Num 33:54”].

Lev 16:8  And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; (Act 4:27-28) one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat (Rom 8:28).
Lev 16:9  And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering (Psa 22:18, Joh 19:24, Act 4:27-28).
Lev 16:10  But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive (Rom 6:11, 1Co 15:22) before the LORD, to make an atonement with him,(1Jn 4:17) and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness (Col 1:24).

Num 26:55  Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
Num 26:56  According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few (Mat 22:14, Psa 139:16).

Let’s also remember that God spoke our existence into reality, the “lot”^H1486 (Col 1:16), which we naturally think of as our lot that is cast into our lap, when in reality, it is God who created all things, to work out His own plan and purpose which is unfolding in this prescribed manner, “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD” (Php 2:12-13).

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

All our books are written by God (Psa 139:16) so again what appears to be disorder from the human vantage point is a perfectly ordered plan all being worked according to the counsel of Him, who works “all things” after the counsel of His own will (Eph 1:11, Rom 8:28).

Psa 139:16 Your eyes saw my embryo, And my days, all of them were written upon Your scroll; The days were formed When there was not one of them.”

Our first verse:

Pro 16:21  The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

God’s word is like honey on our lips that we love, and it increases our learning, and once we ingest that honey it becomes bitter in our belly (Rev 10:9-10) to the end that God’s word would sanctify us and give us a wise heart that becomes prudent through much tribulation in this life. That is what it takes for the honey to be digested (Act 14:22). Christ is our wisdom and the one working in us both to will and to do of God’s good pleasure, which is to see that the trial of our faith will occur and produce something precious in the eyes of our Father (1Pe 1:7, Psa 116:15, 1Co 15:31).

Rev 10:9  And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

1Pe 1:7 that the testing of your faith, much more precious than gold which is perishing, yet, being tested by fire, may be found for applause and glory and honor at the unveiling of Jesus Christ,

Psa 116:15  Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints [bitter death of the first man Adam within us through the sword of his word].

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

Pro 16:22   Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.

Without the keys to the kingdom which are a gift from God (Mat 16:19), our wisdom, our instruction is as that of a fool’s folly (Pro 14:7-9, 1Co 2:6-8).

Pro 14:7  Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.
Pro 14:8  The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
Pro 14:9  Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: (Mat 25:29)
1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: (Isa 3:1) for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

It’s not anyone’s fault that they can’t see or hear spiritually, it is what God has ordained to hide the truth from the masses through the parables (Mat 13:10-11), and with the same parables give “a wellspring of life unto him that hath it”(Joh 4:10).

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Joh 4:10  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

Those who have it, have it because of God’s mercy that has opened our spiritual eyes and ears, and we know that God is no respecter of persons, so we must not be highminded with this understanding, thinking somehow that we figured it out by ourselves (Rom 11:20, 1Ti 6:17, 2Ti 3:4), but rather understand that unlike this woman (Joh 4:13-15) who was with Christ in the flesh, we are being dragged to Christ as God’s children and provoked unto love and good works through Christ and His body (Tit 2:14)

Joh 4:13  Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
Joh 4:14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Joh 4:15  The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Pro 16:23  The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

Our whole life is now earmarked to add learning to our lips, like the ‘noble Bereans’ Lord willing, who were given that wise heart that is not just seeking but also finding treasures daily in God’s word (Heb 11:6), adding learning to his lips (Act 17:11).

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Act 17:11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

The lips must be purged with God’s fiery trials in our lives (Isa 6:6-7) as God’s workmanship whose good pleasure is to give us His kingdom which we can receive as a result of Him trying us (Act 14:22, Heb 12:6) in this life, which will in time, “make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you” (1Pe 5:10).

Isa 6:6  Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
Isa 6:7  And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Pro 16:24  Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

We’re all growing in learning how to speak pleasant words that are as an honeycomb as we are dragged to Christ (Joh 6:44). It is such a blessing to be encouraged or to encourage others in the body of Christ, and when we go through trials the God of all comfort (2Co 1:3-4) will comfort us to that end that, with that comfort He gives us, we can then bring that same comfort to our body (Col 1:24) and it will be “health to the bones” (Eph 5:30).

2Co 1:3  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2Co 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Pro 16:25  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

This proverb is twice mentioned (Pro 14:12, Pro 16:25) as a witness (2) against all flesh whose natural inclination leads to death. That is how God made us, and only Christ can turn the tide of carnality by setting us free from sin (Joh 8:36, 2Co 3:17, Rom 8:14-16), from the self-righteous spirit that wants to do our own will (Php 3:9) and does not know better that God’s ways lead to life and not death (Joh 14:6, Joh 6:44).

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Pro 16:26  He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.

We hopefully are being blessed to be given a hunger and thirst for righteousness in this age (Mat 5:6), labouring in the word (Joh 6:27, Joh 4:32), craving those things that will lead to growth so that we can have something to give to others, both physically and spiritually (Eph 4:28-32).

Mat 5:6  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Joh 4:32  But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

Eph 4:28  Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Eph 4:29  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Eph 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Eph 4:31  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Eph 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Pro 16:27  An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.

Imagine getting a shovel and going down to a graveyard and digging up someone’s physical bones. That is what we do when we dig up the past of those who have been made white by the blood of the lamb, and in doing so we are guilty of counting that sacrifice of Christ of no value (Heb 10:29).

Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, [digging up dead men’s bones including your own] and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

This ungodly man who is at the door of our hearts is called “the accuser of our brethren” (Rev 12:10) and only Christ can rule over him and cast him down within us, which He will do if our names our written in heaven (Luk 10:18-20). Otherwise our lips will continue to be the opposite of the lips that are being saved by God’s chastening grace, bringing forth our own self-righteous condemnation of others and our own selves with lips that are “as a burning fire”.

Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Luk 10:18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven [cast down].
Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Pro 16:28  A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

Here’s a little more information regarding how the devil’s devises work, which we are not ignorant of  (2Co 2:10-11).

2Co 2:10  To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; [one body whose actions can affect each other positively or negatively]
2Co 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

It is the froward or perverse mawerrn who sows contention or strife, as opposed to these words “be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you”. With such a spirit that soweth strife, and gossips with the intention of separating chief friends, we have these verses that remind us of what an abomination this all is unto God (Pro 6:16-19).

Pro 6:16  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
Pro 6:17  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Pro 6:18  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
Pro 6:19  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Pro 16:29  A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.

Was I ever this violent man? At one point we do think, ‘no Lord I was not’, then by the grace of God we are brought into remembrance of what great violence we did to the word of God and in our ignorance enticed ‘my neighbour’ to believe the lies that we were convinced was truth at that time. So yes, we are all guilty of being the one who “leadeth him into the way that is not good” because the way that seems right to us leads to death until we are shown better.

Pro 16:30  He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.

It came very naturally to us to devise froward things in our hearts, and the Lord answered us according to the idol of our own hearts to reinforce our deception at that time (Mat 25:24-26). Our eyes were shut to the truth, and our hearts were hardened so that our former way of life was filled with lips that continually brought evil to pass (Gen 6:5).

Mat 25:24  Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
Mat 25:25  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
Mat 25:26  His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: [Eze 14:4]

Gen 6:5  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Pro 16:31  The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

Christ is the way of righteousness, and despite what all the religions of this world teach, there is only one “hoary head” that can lead us unto God (Rev 1:14), and it is the Father who is dragging His workmanship to Christ so that “through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” can be experienced in this life (Php 3:9).

Rev 1:14  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness [hoary head not found by way of the righteousness of Christ], which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Pro 16:32  He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

This powerful verse, parallels with these verses, (Ecc 9:14-18), that speak of our hope of glory within, Christ (Col 1:27), who is the “poor wise man”, of a humble, poor and contrite spirit who gives us victory over our spirits within (Php 2:12-13) making us, by God’s grace, able to be “slow to anger” and  “better than the mighty” as we’re given power to rule over the powers and principalities of this world, becoming more than conquerors through Christ, ruling over “his spirit” our spirit within, through our Lord who is higher than all the powers and principalities that we wrestle against (Eph 6:12, Eph 1:21-23).

Ecc 9:14  There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it [Satan the man of perdition], and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:
Ecc 9:15  Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
Ecc 9:16  Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard [Luk 6:46].
Ecc 9:17  The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
Ecc 9:18  Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

Pro 16:33  The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

These verses we’ve just read, (Ecc 9:14-18), are as much ‘the lot that is cast into the lap’ as any other part of God’s word that we live by (Mat 4:4). All things are ours (1Co 3:21-23) “but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD” who is working all things according to the counsel of His own will.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; [The lot is cast into the lap]
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

Let us give thanks and praise to God for his mercy and goodness toward His little flock in this age that is experiencing all things working together for good as his love is shed abroad in our hearts to fulfill His will, his purpose that we’ve been called unto (Psa 30:4-12, Rom 8:28).

Psa 30:4  Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
Psa 30:5  For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Psa 30:10  Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.
Psa 30:11  Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
Psa 30:12  To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.